Betty A. Leigh, 11 Jun 1934 - 07 Apr 2016

LEIGH, SCHAPER, GORING, KIMM, REWITZER, BARROWS

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 5/11/2016 at 14:42:38

Funeral service for Betty A. Leigh, 81, was held at 11 a.m., Monday, April 11, at the Anderson Funeral Home, Alexandria, Minn. She died Thursday, April 7, 2016.

Burial was in the West Evergreen Cemetery, Osakis, Minn.

Anderson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Betty A. Leigh was born June 11, 1934, in Sanborn, Minn., the daughter of Albert and Lena (Goring) Schaper. At age two, her family moved to Mason City. She began working in a mom and pop grocery store while attending high school.

While working at the grocery store, she met Ralph Leigh, one of the school kids who hung out at the store. On March 23, 1956, they were married. They made their home in Mason City and began their family. They were blessed with two children, James and Leslie. Betty continued to work at the grocery store.

Five years later, the family moved to Marengo. She worked at Sullivan Sporting Goods and as a cook at the Iowa Valley School. She worked as a clerk for 22 years at the Old Wine Cellar Winery.

Following their retirement, the couple continued living in Marengo until moving to Osakis in 2007. Their son James asked them to come to Osakis to be closer to him as he operated the Idlewilde Resort. Betty did her part for the resort by keeping the dock boys and staff well provisioned with cookies and other baked goods. Betty loved to cook and bake and was good at it. She was famous for her Christmas candies. She made turtles, peanut clusters, peanut brittle, fudge and her specialty was divinity. One year she made over 100 pounds of candy that Ralph distributed to friends, neighbors co-workers and family. Everyone who received her candy appreciated the generosity.

Betty like to spend time doing needlepoint work and knitting. She made a well-kept home for her family. She also liked to go to casinos and try her luck with the one armed bandits. Her and Ralph made 36 trips to Las Vegas before gambling was made legal in Iowa.

Betty was also active in her church. In the past she served as a member of the Ladies Aid, the altar guild and the choir. She also played piano and organ for the church.

Family was very important to Betty. She loved being with Ralph. She was proud of her children and lived for them and her grandchildren.

Leigh is survived by her husband, Ralph Leigh, Osakis; son, James (Susan) Leigh, Osakis; daughter, Leslie (Marv) Kimm, Mapleton, Minn.; grandchildren, Ryan (Anna) Kimm; Katie (Jon) Rewitzer, Jenny (Mike) Barrows, Jason (Emily) Leigh and Kelsey Leigh; and five great-grandchildren, August, Andy Lynn, River, Oakley and Miles.

She was preceded in death by her five brothers and one sister.

The Journal Tribune, 20 Apr 2016, pg 5